The Alternate
by DragonVerse
Summary: What if Lost had never been kidnapped or had killed Goku after being sent back to Earth? After an accidental wish sends her to an alternate reality, Lost faces her two biggest 'What Ifs' when she meets Airi and a far darker enemy, the Empress. All realities are in danger, and they need a savior. But can an 18 year old girl with anger and abandonment issues really be a hero?


**A/N**: Sorry about whatever happened when I last posted this. I have no clue why it did whatever it did. Please read **Redemption**, the first Lost story, before reading this one. **Rated K+**: for mild language. I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT. No copy write attended.

**Chapter One **

The short green grass tickled against the bare skin of my legs as I relaxed into the shade of one of the oak trees that surrounded the Son house. The sun's heat was almost unbearable as it beat down on us, and the only relief was to gulp down ice before it melted. If it hadn't already, that is. I crossed my legs and the ankles, and folded my hands behind my head for a makeshift pillow and closed my eyes. I had eaten my fill of lunch and was ready for a nice long nap.

I was hyperaware of Goku's soft snoring on my right, and Goten's deep breathing on my left. They were close enough to touch if I had reached out my hands. I ignored the usually itch that crept under my skin when people go to close to me, the itch that told me to hit first and ask questions later. Instead I took a deep, calming breath and let myself start to drift. I was finally going to find some peace in the blissfulness of sleep.

"You're doing it wrong!" The shrill voice of Chi-Chi cut threw my haze. I propped myself up on my elbows and stared across the yard to were Chi-Chi was standing by the Ox King arguing.

I didn't thing anyone was as fiery as I was, but Chi-Chi would explain where I got my attitude from. Actually, the more time I spent with them, the more I realized where a lot of my personality came from. Like Chi-Chi's no nonsense and Goku's love for battle. My anger issues, however, seemed to just be a Saiyan thing. Vegeta was proof enough for that.

It has always been easier for me to be angry. If I was angry and hateful, emotional things didn't hurt so much. I could pretend I was fine, because I was, or at least that's what I told everyone. I wasn't fine. For more reasons than I could count I felt like I was going crazy. This playing the perfect daughter wasn't really me. I was losing myself. The longer I stayed here, the more I felt like I was just playing a game.

It had been nearly three months since I came to earth and found my family. It was decided (against my desires) that I would live with Goku and Chi-Chi for the time being until I "got my life in order."

Yeah, right.

Originally, that only lasted a week. Chi-Chi was suffocating. Never letting me out of her sight and trying to force to study books I'm pretty sure she kept since Gohan was a boy. I had moved out to live with Gohan, thinking that would be easier, but that ended within a day. Videl and I where... not compatible, and there was no way I'd be able to live under the same roof as Vegeta without the two of us attempting to destroy West City in the fight no one would let us have. So I ended up just moving back in with my Goku and Chi-Chi.

I had originally wanted to move in with Jun and Stone, two members of my old team, who were living in an apartment in West City, but Stone had laughed and told me I need to spend quality time with the family. Threatening her did little good, because she wasn't scared of me. She never had been, despite the fact I once tried to blow her hand off. She just kissed my cheek and swatted my butt as I walked out the door.

Now the _family _and I, excluding Gohan because he was to work and there was no way Videl would bring Pan around my bad influence, where in the front yard dressed in itchy clothing (mine was a frilly, pink sundress with a low collar and a rose design that Chi-Chi had guilt me into wearing) to take a grand ol' family photo. But Ox King couldn't figure out how to work the damn "advance technology" camera he wasted lord knows how much money on.

"This is stupid," I yelled, more at myself then at the others. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw both Goku and Goten jolt awake, but I ignored them. I scrambled to my feet and stormed off.

"Lost, get back here!" Chi-Chi hollered in what I now know as her mom voice, which, for whatever reason, always had the boys scurrying to do her biding. On me, however, it had no effect.

I marched on, tugging at the hem of my dress as I went.

"I'll get her, Mom," I heard Goten call as he caught up with me. "Come back, Lost. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can get back to training."

"That oaf," I said, not really meaning the insult and pointing behind ne toward the general direction of Ox King without, " is no closer to getting that thing to work then he was two hours ago."

"But I thought we were having fun," Goten gave me his best puppy dog look that made me feel my jell-o. I could face down the cruelest bad guy of my life, but against my little brother I was pudding. Whatever he asked, I always did. Despite myself I could never say no. He was the reason I had even given this planet a chance.

I could say it was because I wanted to be with my family or how Stone had convinced me it was the right thing to do, because I had nothing else to go back to. Even before I had accepted that this was my home now and my family, Goten was the one I spared the others for.

When I first came to earth I had promised twenty-four hours to Goku and his friends to prove that I was his long lost daughter, Airi. I hadn't said that I wouldn't kill them even if their claims are true, but after I had killed Bunka, the man who and turned my world in to hell, well, like I said, I had nothing to go back to. Earth was my chance at freedom. Not that I felt much freedom here. It was only with Goten, for some bizarre unknown reason, that I actually felt at home.

I still have barely any memories from when I was a child. I still have dreams of a young boy, dressed in purple, with his back facing me. I could count down to the moment he would take off and leave me behind. I knew it was Gohan. Just a boy, worried for his father, and just like the others, he had lost me. Goten was innocent. He had never abandoned me.

"Weren't you having fun?" Goten asked, bringing me back to the present.

I sighed. Fun to me was different the fun with them. The four of them laughing and joking and asking me if I remembered doing something utterly silly when I was a babe, while I sit awkwardly of to the side picking at my dress and not remembering was not fun. The only good part about the whole situation was the food.

I glanced behind me to see how far from the house we had gotten. To my relief the house was hidden behind thick trees. I collapsed to the ground and tried to find a position to sit where my dress didn't ride up my legs. I settled with tucking my legs underneath me. Goten dropped down beside me and laid down to stare up at the sky between tree leaves.

"You just need to give it more time," Goten said, "it'll get easier."

"More time," I repeated, picking at the blades of glass in front of me. Maybe he was right, it hadn't been here long. Whenever I had the chance to be a part of the family I ducked out to train. Maybe I just needed to try harder, or… "Maybe I just need a break," I whispered aloud. Or a good fight to work out some of this overwhelming stress that's building up in me.

Goten nodded in agreement, "Maybe you do." He paused for a moment before shooting up into a seated position and staring at me with a wide smile across his face, "I know the perfect vacation for you! We can look for the dragon balls!"

"How is that perfect?" I asked tossing a few blades of grass away from me.

Goten jumped to his feet, he was so excited he was waving his hands around while he said, "Don't you see? It has action and adventure and it'll get you away from Mom for a few days!"

The boy was so proud of his plan he was shifting his weight from one foot to the other with little hops. It was silly but I thought it was adorable. The kid had way too much energy, but he did have a good point. It'd be nice to have a mission again. Something to work towards that I could do right now. Having two wishes never hurt, but I have no clue what to wish for. Then again I wouldn't really have to wish for anything. I could just gather them all up and keep them safe for a time where we needed to wish people back to life again.

I slid my feet out from under me and stood up. Looking down at Goten (which I wouldn't be able to do much longer, 'cause he was barely a head shorter than me) I said, "Good idea, kid. I'll start right now… after I change."

I turned to walk back toward the house, but Goten caught my arm. He said, "First, we have to get through the family picture and then we can go."

"We?" I asked, shaking of his hold, "what's with this we?"

"Well, do you know how to even find the dragon balls?" Goten asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Point well made, little man. "Fine, you can come," I turned back around. I could stand a couple days out adventuring with him.

By the time we made it back to the house Chi-Chi had set up the camera, Ox King was 'But Chi-Chi-ing' to her about something, and Goku was passed out in the shade of a nearby tree, probably in a food coma.

"There you are!" Chi-Chi said, "I was begging to think the two of you ran off."

My, "Not yet," was covered up buy Goten's, "Nope," as he ran over to join his father, who had fallen back to sleep.

I stood by the opening of the woods, awkwardly wandering where I was supposed to go. It felt like intruding to join Goku and Goten, and I wouldn't know what to talk about with Chi-Chi. I settled for the picnic table, which Chi-Chi had cleaned off while I was gone and now only had a pile of hardcover books, five glasses, and a pitcher of lemonade. I sat down and pushed the books as far from me as I could.

"I'm glad you are finally taking an interest in studying," Chi-Chi said, not looking up at me from the camera, "Applications for colleges start soon and you have a lot of catching up to do."

Chi-Chi blabbed on, but I toned her out. Studying was the one thing she was as stubborn as me about. She even locked me in my room once with a tone of books and told me I couldn't come out until I read at least one. Breaking the lock on the door and running away to Gohan's house seemed like the proper response.

I grabbed a glass a poured me a cool drink of the lemonade. The sweet, tart liquid was cold and felt good running down my dry throat. I cleared my throat, took another sip, and turned back to Chi-Chi.

"Is the camera ready yet?" I said, impatiently. Getting involved in conversations was something I was getting better at. When I was in the Force I hated when the others would go off talking about something other than the mission at hand. I was always about focus. Though most of my conversations involved "How do I become a Super Saiyan?" and "Do you wanna train?"

"Just about ready," Chi-Chi said. There was a click and she straightened her shoulders beaming at us, "There, everyone gather around."

I stood up eagerly, not bother to put my glass down, and hurried to the spot Chi-Chi had made me stand at before. As Chi-Chi walked past me and took my glass, gave me a small smile and went to place the cup on the table.

Chi-Chi yelled and I turned around to see her standing over Goku and Goten. Goku had a hand raised in difference and was trying to convince her to let him sleep a little longer. Goten sat beside him rubbing his eye with one hand, while the other one was in the air for a good stretch.

"Get up, Goku!" Chi-Chi said, "The camera is ready and the sun will be going down soon! I don't want to lose the light!"

That was a lie. At the latest it was about two o'clock. The sun was just shy of the middle of the sky.

"Okay," Goku said rolling to his feet. He grabbed hold of Goten's arm and pulled him up as well, and together they walked back to me.

"Everyone smile!" Chi-Chi hollered.

Goku and Chi-Chi stood behind me and Ox King behind them. Goku wrapped one arm around Chi-Chi, pulling her against his side, and rested his free hand on my shoulder. Ox King was smiling broadly at the camera, with each one of his hands on one of Chi-Chi's and Goku's shoulders. Goten stood beside me with one hand on his hip and the other one making a peace sign at the camera.

I smiled, and tried not to fidget with my dress. There were several clicking sounds and everyone relaxed. I started walking back to the house, ready to rip this dress to confetti, but Chi-Chi called me back.

I want to take a few more," Chi-Chi said hurrying over to camera, "Just to make sure we got a good shot."

I gave Chi-Chi my I'm-in-charge-here look, "I've been wearing this stupid thing since nine this morning, I'm going to change."

Chi-Chi looked up at me from the camera, "But you look so beautiful."

"I look like a tool," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Don't you want to keep it on for a little while longer?" Chi-Chi insisted, "Jun and Stone just arrived, and I'm sure that boy would love to see you in a dress for once."

"Yeah, baby," Stone said, "It's such a pretty dress."

I tightened my jaw and turned around to see Stone and Jun standing in the door way of the house. Stone looked as beautiful as ever, her long red hair flowing gracefully around her shoulders and her green eyes bearing into me with mock intensity. While Jun stood behind her, arms crossed over his shoulders and leaning on the door frame. His snow white hair was cut short as always, his icy blue-grey eyes made dull by the blush spreading along his cheeks.

Great.


End file.
